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Anointed Priest
"Reveal to me the deeper mysteries of my faith, oh wise Verena, that I may serve you better." Advanced Career (Core) A priest who has consistently upheld the tenets of his church is chosen by his God to take on greater power and responsibility. Anointed Priests are gifted with the Divine Lore of the deity they serve and consequently, they’re expected to take on challenges suitable to their new blessings. They often have all the attributes that their God admires, acting as beacons of faith to others in the Old World. Anointed Priests are greatly trusted by the common folk, who will often listen to them over both Nobles and Politicians, granting them a great deal of temporal power to complement the spiritual. Main Profile Secondary Profile Skills: Academic Knowledge (any two), Academic Knowledge (Theology), Channelling, Charm, Common Knowledge (any two), Gossip, Heal, Magical Sense, Ride or Swim, Speak Arcane Language (Magick), Speak Language (any two) Talents: Aethyric Attunement or Meditation, Armoured Casting or Fast Hands, Divine Lore (any one), Lesser Magic (any two), Seasoned Traveller or Strike Mighty Blow Trappings: Noble’s Garb Career Entries Priest Career Exits Demagogue, Flagellant, High Priest, Scholar, Witch Hunter Little Known Facts Though anointed priests usually rise from within the church, this is not always the case. The gods choose their representatives based on faith and obedience rather than prior service. In certain notable cases, a devout follower has been chosen as an anointed priest without any previous experience serving in the church. The churches frown upon such incidents but cannot gainsay their gods, and in many cases those anointed priests have gone on to become figures of legend. Most anointed priests take on as many of their god’s characteristics and habits as possible – they begin to dress as the god dresses, wield the god’s preferred weapons, eat the god’s favourite dishes, etc. Some claim this is merely an affectation. Others say it is a direct result of the god’s hand on the anointed priest, and is not a matter of choice. Anointed priests often find themselves unable to ignore an affront to their god, whether it is a direct insult or a slight toward something the god holds dear. In the same way, anointed priests cannot resist aiding and protecting those the god values, and demeaning those the god hates. Notable Figures Rolf Waterbreather is one of those rare cases, an anointed priest with no prior church training. A sailor by occupation, Rolf was well-known among mariners for his skill and his stamina. More than once, he was the only man left standing when a storm struck the ship and tossed the crew about, and more than once his steady hand on the wheel was all that kept the ship safe. His peers considered him touched by Manann, and the Sea God evidentially agreed. He came to Rolf in a dream, praising him and offering him a role as Manann’s earthly representative. Awed, Rolf agreed. The next morning he awoke to find a black iron circlet on his head and a heavy trident at his side, the symbols of his new calling. From that point on Rolf roamed the seas, moving from ship to ship and port to port, protecting the ships and their crews from storms, raiders, and monsters. He was last seen battling a tentacled behemoth that had devoured an entire war galley. Man and monster sank beneath the waves together, Rolf wrapped in its tentacles and his trident imbedded in the beast’s massive eye. Many sailors believe Rolf survived and will return to once more take up the duties of his god.